RCB becomes the first IPL franchise to appoint a woman in the support staff

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League is still five months away but the league has been in the headlines courtesy a plethora of changes in the backroom staff by the franchise owners. Apart from former Leg-spinner Anil Kumble becoming the Director of Cricket Operations of the Kings XI Punjab, the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore have also been ringing in a whole host of changes to their coaching staff.

After appointing Mike Hesson as the team director, the Bengaluru-based franchise have appointed former Australian batsman and Kolkata Knight Riders coach, Simon Katich to take over as the head of the coaching staff.

Navnita Gautam appointed as RCB sports massage therapist

In another refreshing change, the Royal Challengers are set to become the first Indian Premier League franchise to appoint a woman in the support staff for the 13th edition of the tournament. The franchise has appointed some well-acclaimed tacticians in the past and keeping pace with the trend, have now proceeded to appoint Navnita Gautam as a sports massage therapist.

Navnita will be working with Evan Speechly, the head physiotherapist and Shanker Basu, strength and conditioning coach to identify, evaluate, provide guidance and implement massage therapy to suit the team and any relevant prevailing conditions. Gautam will have the onus of performing specialized techniques pertaining to the preparation, motivation, supervision in totality and all the individual physical ailments relating to the team.

On the appointment, Sanjeev Churiwala, chairman of the franchise, “I am very pleased to be a part of this moment in history and another step in the right direction,” said RCB chairman, Sanjeev Churiwala. “The game has come a long way, in many ways, in terms of the Women’s Cricket Team and how many people are watching it, the interest was long due.” 

“Sport is a great enabler, but it is important to ensure that the principles of equity in participation also extends to its staffing bodies. Increasing participation and success by women in all sporting arenas have made this possible and we at RCB are very thrilled to have found great talent in Navnita,” Churiwala said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

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